Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt
The Rivers Government has said the performance of ND Refineries Limited, an indigenous petroleum refining company based in the State, has helped the government in the campaign against illegal refining of crude oil.
This is as the state commended the company for its friendly policies on environment and community relations.
The Deputy Governor of the state, Dr. Ipalibo Banigo, who led members of the Rivers State House of Assembly Committee on Environment and officials of the State Ministry of Environment on a facility tour of the company, stressed that the company has positively impacted its area of operation.
She stated that the state government was aware of the company’s positive impact within and outside its area of operation and appreciated its impact on environment and what they have been doing in community relations.
She said the state government was interested in modular refineries in order to discourage illegal refineries and as well safeguard lives of the people of Rivers State and their environment.
Ipalibo said: “We want to discourage illegal refineries, to save lives and ensure a safe environment. We are also interested in knowledge transfer and job creation for our teeming youths.”
Earlier, the company’s General Manager, Refineries/Projects, Mr. Femi Olaniyan, who conducted the Rivers State Government team around the facility, said the company, established about 25 years ago, was operating on Ogbele Field Oil Mining Lease (OML) 54 in Rivers State.
He said the company’s vision was to be completely indigenous, adding that it is 95 per cent owned by Nigerians, while the refinery is managed by Nigerians with proven expertise and track record.
Olaniyan said: “As early as 2006 our Company decided to eliminate gas flaring and a gas processing plant was built and commissioned.
“Now we are the only indigenous company to supply gas to the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facility in Bonny Island here in Rivers state.
“We have so far supplied over 50 billion tons of gas to LNG in Bonny. In 2011 we built 1,000 barrels per day production facility. We now produce three trucks of diesel per day from our plant here.
“We also produce diesel in commercial quantity with customers drawn from the North East, North West, Abuja, Lagos and so on.’’
He also told the team that in 2016, the company commenced the expansion of its refinery to an integrated facility to produce up to 11,000 barrels of Jet fuel, diesel, marine diesel and heavy fuel oil per day, adding that the expanded facility will commence full operations by May 2020.
Olaniyan, further said the company, also produces gas for domestic consumption and, “has since January 26, 2019 clocked one million man hours with zero lost time injuries.”
“Our facility, a subsidiary of Niger Delta Exploration & Production Plc, is privately owned and can convert Naphtha to petrol with 60 per cent of its labour force from the community and has no negative safety issues.
“A considerable number of Nigerians have gained from our deliberate efforts to ensure knowledge transfer,’’ Olaniyan said.
